1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pick-up device, and particularly to an image pick-up device provided with a display portion displaying taken pictures.
2. Description of the Background Art
There have been proposed many kinds of portable communication devices, which are provided with cameras, and can transmit pictures taken by the cameras.
For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-290793 has disclosed a structure, in which an image pick-up lens and an image display portion are arranged on the same plane so that an operator can see a picture of a party or a person at the other end of the line while taking an operator's own picture, and also can check a sight via a finder when taking a picture of a far subject.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-111835 has disclosed a structure, in which a main body is formed of first and second bodies, and a camera is rotatably arranged at an end of the second body so that an operator can rotate the camera to a position, in which the operator can take a picture of a subject on the rear side of a liquid crystal display portion while viewing a screen of the liquid crystal display portion.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-185589 has disclosed a structure, in which a camera can be turned away from an externally exposed position when an operator uses a cellular phone for only usual conversation, and thereby smear and damage of a lens due to direction contact with a face or an ear of the operator.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 11-95865 has disclosed an electronic device taking a form of a notebook computer. In this device, an optical axis of a camera attached to an upper portion of a display panel can always be kept horizontal even when an inclination angle of the display panel is changed.
According to Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-290793, the optical axis of the camera is substantially perpendicular to a surface of the body carrying the camera. Therefore, for viewing an image of the party at the other end of the line when taking an operator's own picture, the operator must keep the camera at a high position aligned to the operator's eyes (i.e., at a position on a line of vision or sight of the operator) for taking the picture, and further, must keep the display screen perpendicular to the line of vision of the operator so that the operator takes an unnatural posture
Each of the structures disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2002-111835, 2002-185589 and 11-95865 is devised so that the camera may be rotatable. This overcomes the foregoing problem relating to the unnatural posture. However, a rotary structure or mechanism for the camera increases the numbers of parts and assembly steps so that a product cost increases. Also, the rotary mechanism increases an occupied space so that it is difficult to achieve a compact structure of the product.